1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to systems for dispensing more than one viscous material from a pressurized aerosol container. The viscous materials are kept separate from each other during storage inside the container. Each viscous material is dispensed through a separate valve. In use, a single actuator activates each of the valves allowing the separate viscous materials to pass out of the container and to be mixed together in a mixing tube.
2) Description of the Related Art
Many viscous products are made up of two or more viscous components which must be mixed, in given proportions, only at the time of application. Mixing of the components prior to the time of application will render many such products useless.
The prior art is aware of dispensing single viscous materials such as resins, sealing compounds, dental compositions, adhesives, paints, and the like from single aerosol containers. Also commonly known are methods of dispensing two viscous materials simultaneously from two separate tubes, cartridges, or aerosol containers. In these systems, two separate containers are necessary.
The prior art is also aware of dispensing two viscous materials contained in two separate aerosol containers shrink-wrapped together and equipped with a common valve actuator that is large enough to span both containers and dispense the two materials simultaneously into a common mixing tube. While this permits the administration of the desired ratios of viscous materials, the container is cumbersome and expensive.
Miczka, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,951, discloses a system for dispensing viscous materials from a pressurized container. The system comprises a container which is closed at the bottom by a dome-shaped bulkhead and at the top by a funnel, through which dispensing ports are fitted. Inner containers are pressed to dispense their viscous contents by the internal pressure of the loaded propellant. A venting valve through the funnel controls the dispensing rate. The funnel is made from a thin outer skin, secured to the container by a crimped edge, with inner reinforcing walls to take up the pressure distortion. This device contains two separate dispensing valves with no mention of a mixing tube. The funnel is unique to the container of the above patented device, and is not standard equipment readily available in the art. The valves of this system are separated from each other. Thus, the use of a single actuator would be difficult. No actuator is mentioned by the patent.
As can be seen, a need exists for improvement in simultaneous pressurized dispensing of multiple viscous materials from a single container. The object of the present invention is to provide improvements in this area.